Flatbed scanner and scan module thereof

ABSTRACT

A flatbed scanner includes a driving motor, a belt connected to the driving motor and driven by the driving motor to move, and a carriage module. The carriage module is transmitted by the belt to move and has an elastic sustaining member arranged on a housing thereof for sustaining against the belt. By distorting the belt, the tension of the belt is increased.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a scanner, and more particularlyto a flatbed scanner. In addition, the present invention also relates toa scan module of a flatbed scanner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Please refer to FIG. 1 which is a schematic diagram showing aninternal structure of a conventional flatbed scanner. As shown, theflatbed scanner includes a shaft 1, a driving motor 10, a belt 11 and acarriage module 12 accommodated in a housing 2. When the flatbed scanneris operating, the driving motor 10 drives the belt 11 to carry thecarriage module 12 to move along the shaft 1. Hence, the belt 11 musthave a certain tension.

[0003] For easily assembling, various conventional structures, forexample that as shown in FIG. 2A or 2B, are provided to enhance thetension of the belt 11. In the structure of FIG. 2A, a flexible metalstrip 13 is coupled to the belt 11. On the other hand, a torsion spring14 is engaged with the belt 11 in the structure of FIG. 2B.

[0004] Due to the demand to reduce the thickness and size of scannerproducts, the space in current flatbed scanners is quite limited. Thus,during scanning, the carriage module 12 is likely to contact with theprotruding part 131 or 141 of the metal strip 13 or torsion spring 14 soas to influence the scanning operation of the carriage module 12.

[0005] Therefore, the purpose of the present invention is to enhance thetension of the belt without interfering with the carriage module.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a scan modulehaving a belt-tension enhanced mechanism secured thereon so as not tointerfere with the scan module.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a flatbedscanner which includes a belt-tension enhanced mechanism secured onto ascan module thereof so as not to interfere with the scan module.

[0008] A first aspect of the present invention relates to a flatbedscanner, which comprises a driving motor; a belt connected to thedriving motor and driven by the driving motor to move; and a carriagemodule transmitted by the belt to move, and having an elastic sustainingmember arranged on a housing thereof for sustaining against the belt toincrease the tension of the belt.

[0009] Preferably, the elastic sustaining member is integrally formedwith the housing of the carriage module.

[0010] Preferably, the elastic sustaining member includes a flexiblestrip made of plastic and integrally formed with the housing of thecarriage module.

[0011] Preferably, the elastic sustaining member includes a base portionsecured onto the housing of the carriage module; a belt-holder portionconfigured to confine the movement of the belt; and a sustaining portionsustaining against the belt to distort a portion of the belt so as toincrease the tension of the belt.

[0012] Preferably, the belt-holder portion includes a hollow portion forpenetrating therethrough and securing therein the portion of the belt.

[0013] Preferably, the sustaining portion has a smooth hooked end.

[0014] Preferably, the carriage module further comprises a sustainingpost arranged on the housing, and cooperating with the sustainingportion of the elastic sustaining member to distort the portion of thebelt by sustaining against the belt at a side opposite to the elasticsustaining member.

[0015] Preferably, the carriage module further comprises a clampingmember arranged on the housing for penetrating therethrough and securingtherein another portion of the belt.

[0016] A second aspect of the present invention relates to a scan modulefor use in an image processing device, the image processing deviceincluding a driving motor and a belt for moving the scan module, thescan module including an elastic sustaining member arranged on a housingthereof for sustaining against the belt to increase the tension of thebelt.

[0017] Preferably, the elastic sustaining member is integrally formedwith the housing of the scan module, and includes a base portion securedonto a housing of the carriage module; a belt-holder portion configuredto confine the movement of the belt; and a sustaining portion sustainingagainst the belt to distort a portion the belt so as to increase theintension of the belt.

[0018] Preferably, the belt-holder portion includes a hollow member forpenetrating therethrough and securing therein the portion of the belt.

[0019] Preferably, the sustaining portion sustains against the belt by asmooth hooked end.

[0020] Preferably, the carriage module further comprises a sustainingpost arranged on the housing for sustaining against the belt at a sideopposite to the elastic sustaining member.

[0021] Preferably, the carriage module further comprises a clampingmember arranged on the housing for penetrating therethrough and securingtherein another portion of the belt.

[0022] In an example, the scan module is a carriage module and the imageprocessing device is a flatbed scanner.

[0023] In another example, the scan module is a print-head module andthe image processing device is a printer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The present invention may best be understood through thefollowing description with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

[0025]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an internal structure of aconventional flatbed scanner;

[0026]FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic diagrams illustrating twoconventional structures for increasing the tension of the belt in theflatbed scanner; and

[0027]FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a part of housingstructure of a preferred embodiment of a scan module according to thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0028] The present invention will now be described more specificallywith reference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that thefollowing descriptions of preferred embodiments of this invention arepresented herein for purpose of illustration and description only; it isnot intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise formdisclosed.

[0029] Please refer to FIG. 3 which is a schematic diagram partiallyillustrating a preferred embodiment of a scan module according to thepresent invention. For example, the scan module can be used in a flatbedscanner similar to that shown in FIG. 1. The flatbed scanner includes ashaft 1, a driving motor 10, a belt 11 and the present scan module 4,which operate as mentioned above. The scan module 4 includes a plasticstrip 40, a sustaining post 41 and a clamping member 42, which arearranged on a housing 43 of the scan module 4. The plastic strip 40includes a base portion 401, a belt-holder portion 402 and a sustainingportion 403 in contact with the belt 11. The base portion 401 is securedonto the housing 43. The sustaining portion 403 has a smooth hooked endsustaining against the belt 11, and the sustaining post 41 sustainingagainst the belt at a side opposite to the sustaining portion 403. Bythe cooperation of the sustaining portion 403 and the sustaining post41, a portion 111 of the belt 11 is distorted, and thus the tension ofthe belt 11 is enhanced. The belt-holder portion 402 is a hollow memberfor allowing the belt 42 to penetrate through and securing the portion111 of the belt 11 therein. In addition to the belt-holder portion 402,the clamping portion 42 also facilitates to receive and secure the belt11. It is not necessary but preferred that the plastic strip 40,sustaining post 41 and clamping member 42 be arranged on an innersurface of the housing 43 and integrally formed with the housing 43 inorder to reduce assembling cost.

[0030] It is apparent from the above description, the tension of thebelt can be enhanced by this mechanism secured on the module housingwithout interfering with the carriage module. In addition, themanufacturing and assembling procedures can be simplified because theflexible metal strip or the torsion spring of the prior art is no longerrequired in the present invention.

[0031] The belt-tension enhanced mechanism according to the presentinvention can also be applied to other scan modules such as a print-headmodule of an ink jet printer, which is also moved by a driving motor anda belt. The function and structure of the belt-tension enhancedmechanism are similar to those applied to the flatbed scanner in FIG. 3.Thus, it is not to be described redundantly herein.

[0032] While the invention has been described in terms of what ispresently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments,it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to thedisclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover variousmodifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit andscope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadestinterpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similarstructures.

What is claimed is:
 1. A flatbed scanner comprising: a driving motor; abelt connected to said driving motor and driven by said driving motor tomove; and a carriage module transmitted by said belt to move, and havingan elastic sustaining member arranged on a housing thereof forsustaining against said belt to increase the tension of said belt. 2.The flatbed scanner according to claim 1 wherein said elastic sustainingmember is integrally formed with said housing of said carriage module.3. The flatbed scanner according to claim 1 wherein said elasticsustaining member includes a flexible strip.
 4. The flatbed scanneraccording to claim 3 wherein said flexible strip is made of plastic. 5.The flatbed scanner according to claim 4 wherein said flexible strip isintegrally formed with said housing of said carriage module.
 6. Theflatbed scanner according to claim 1 wherein said elastic sustainingmember includes: a base portion secured onto said housing of saidcarriage module; a belt-holder portion configured to confine themovement of said belt; and a sustaining portion sustaining against saidbelt to distort a portion of said belt so as to increase the tension ofsaid belt.
 7. The flatbed scanner according to claim 6 wherein saidbelt-holder portion includes a hollow portion for penetratingtherethrough and securing therein said portion of said belt.
 8. Theflatbed scanner according to claim 6 wherein said sustaining portion hasa smooth hooked end.
 9. The flatbed scanner according to claim 6 whereinsaid carriage module further comprises a sustaining post arranged onsaid housing, and cooperating with said sustaining portion of saidelastic sustaining member to distort said portion of said belt bysustaining against said belt at a side opposite to said elasticsustaining member.
 10. The flatbed scanner according to claim 6 whereinsaid carriage module further comprises a clamping member arranged onsaid housing for penetrating therethrough and securing therein anotherportion of said belt.
 11. A scan module for use in an image processingdevice, said image processing device including a driving motor and abelt for moving said scan module, said scan module including an elasticsustaining member arranged on a housing thereof for sustaining againstsaid belt to increase the tension of said belt.
 12. The scan moduleaccording to claim 11 wherein said elastic sustaining member isintegrally formed with said housing of said scan module.
 13. The scanmodule according to claim 11 wherein said elastic sustaining member is aplastic strip.
 14. The scan module according to claim 11 wherein saidelastic sustaining member includes: a base portion secured onto ahousing of said carriage module; a belt-holder portion configured toconfine the movement of said belt; and a sustaining portion sustainingagainst said belt to distort a portion said belt so as to increase theintension of said belt.
 15. The scan module according to claim 14wherein said belt-holder portion includes a hollow member forpenetrating therethrough and securing therein said portion of said belt.16. The scan module according to claim 14 wherein said sustainingportion sustains against said belt by a smooth hooked end.
 17. The scanmodule according to claim 11 wherein said carriage module furthercomprises a sustaining post arranged on said housing for sustainingagainst said belt at a side opposite to said elastic sustaining member.18. The scan module according to claim 111 wherein said carriage modulefurther comprises a clamping member arranged on said housing forpenetrating therethrough and securing therein another portion of saidbelt.
 19. The scan module according to claim 11 wherein said scan moduleis a carriage module and said image processing device is a flatbedscanner.
 20. The scan module according to claim 11 wherein said scanmodule is a print-head module and said image processing device is aprinter.